Despite injuries, Alabama plans to keep up its fast-paced style against Vanderbilt on Wednesday night

BILL FEIG/Associated PressAlabama forward Tony Mitchell dunks during the Crimson Tide's 66-49 victory over LSU on Saturday.TUSCALOOSA -- The grind of a season at its midpoint hasn't fazed Alabama senior point guard Mikhail Torrance.

Alabama has played 15 of the 30 regular-season games scheduled for coach Anthony Grant's first season and the current numbers -- an 11-4 record and RPI rating in the mid 60s -- weighed against the number of remaining bodies on the Crimson Tide's depleted bench suggest Grant has overachieved.

Nevertheless, Grant is determined to play SEC opponents with the same attacking, full-court style used during the first half of this season, even though Alabama will be doing it with only nine available scholarship players.

"We have to have an identity that our guys understand how we expect the game to be played and what we want to do," Grant said. "That requires us to at times press (defensively), and at times (play) man, and at times (play) zone. We're going to try to push the pace offensively. We're going to do what we do."

A grueling preseason is now benefiting a team that will lean on conditioning if it is to make a serious run at the NCAA tournament.

Sophomore guard Andrew Steele was lost for the season last week after surgery for a stress fracture near his ankle. He joined senior forward Demetrius Jemison, who will redshirt this season after tearing his Achilles' tendon during a preseason workout.

"Obviously we've had a couple of losses this year, personnel-wise, and you hate to see that happen but that is a part of sports," Grant said. "It's a matter of other guys having opportunities to step up and play a bigger role."

A depleted bench means that of the other nine scholarship players, all are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. Torrance, of Mary Montgomery High, forward JaMychal Green, guard Senario Hillman and guard Anthony Brock all average at least 26 minutes per contest.

Grant added a handful of practice players through open tryouts before the season. And while Greg Cage is a returning walk-on who has played in four games, Alabama also has used two players this season -- Justin Luquire and Chris Dixon -- who are not listed on the roster released by the Crimson Tide.

"We prepared for seven weeks for situations like this," Torrance said. "Some people have had to play extended minutes, but I feel like our bodies are prepared for it."

Freshman Tony Mitchell, the team's third-leading scorer, missed two of the past three games due to mononucleosis. He was cleared to play 11 minutes during Saturday's 66-49 victory at LSU.

In a performance unlike Alabama's SEC road struggles in recent years, the Crimson Tide led by 15 at halftime, forcing 15 turnovers and holding the Tigers to 37 percent shooting.

"We knew exactly what was coming," Torrance said. "We knew every play they were running. Stuff like that was happening, and then we were pressuring them, and they really couldn't handle it. When coach says he wants to win a style-of-play game, that's what he means. We pressed them for about 30 minutes of the game."

Grant doesn't yet sound so confident.

"To me, I want to see how we respond to different situations and the challenges that league play brings," Grant said.

"We still as a team have room to grow and improve, both mentally and physically."